My heart stopped 3 times during the Marquette Golden Eagles versus #20 Providence Friars double overtime thriller February 10th. It usually stops once during Marquette games…but the extra ten minutes forced some added value for the Marquette Faithful and a great 96-91 victory.

Heart Stop #1: After Providence turned the ball over with the game tied and 2 seconds left, Freshman Henry Ellenson gets his hands on the ball. There are 20 scouts at the game from 12 NBA teams. Ellenson has already put on a game for them showing he has the mid-range game, the ability to control the entire court and rebounding skills. He already had his 15th double-double of the season before getting the ball in his hands. At half court, he lobs it and it hits the backboard, hits the rim and pushes out.

I can’t breathe.

Ellenson finishes the game, by the way, with 26 points, 16 rebounds.

Heart Stop #2: Near the end of the first overtime, Ellenson fouls Providence forward Ben Bentil during a 3-point attempt. Bentil already has 4 three-pointers. He finished with 42 points.

You read that right.

Providence scored 91 for the game…42 came from Bentil. As their Head Coach Ed Colley said after the game, you can’t win on the back of a single player. Yet, Providence almost did.

He makes all the shots, but MU still leads by two. You think Marquette would win…Providence would have to foul? Nope…Sophomore Sandy Cohen misses a shot, Freshman Haanif Cheatham gets the rebound and instead of dribbling out, tries to lay it back in and misses. Providence gets the ball, Marquette fouls Jalen Lyndsey who makes both free throws and ties the game.

I feel my heart exploding.

Heart Stop #3: With Marquette up by as many as seven in the second overtime, we watch the game start to slip away as Bentil makes back-to-back and almost a third 3 pointer! Luckily, he doesn’t.

My heart jumps out of my chest.

Ellenson said it best post game. The Golden Eagles are playing desperate. That will can win games.
It can also cause all of us to need to see our doctors